Getting Ready for RWA Nationals

Well, it is only a week before I leave for the RWA (Romance Writers of America) National Convention in Washington, DC—and I’m madly trying to get things ready before I go.

I am traveling by train with my pal, writer Saoirse Redgrave (13 to Life, St. Martin’s Press 2010). We’re leaving at the crack of dawn on Wednesday, and won’t be back until Sunday night. (Don’t worry—the cats are being well taken care of!) That’s a long trip by my standards, so I am trying to get my “to-do” list done before I go, in case I am really wiped out from a week of networking, workshops and agent meetings (please goddess) by the time I get back.

I am really looking forward to my first Nationals. In part, because of the opportunities to possibly get my work noticed by people who could make a serious difference in my success or failure as a fiction writer (i.e. agents and editors), and of course the fab workshops that will hopefully make me a better writer. But mostly because I am finally going to get to meet up with some of the great folks who I’ve been talking to online for over a year—many of whom have gone out of their way to be helpful and supportive—but never had the chance to meet in person.

Tops on this list: author Mindy Klasky, author Candace Havens, author/agent Lucienne Diver, and author/agent Lois Winston. And then there are the writers I just follow around the web and admire (an occasionally correspond with): Jeri Smith-Ready, Maria V. Snyder and Jennifer Crusie. Not to mention a few agents and editors I’ve been in contact with professionally, like Patience Smith of Harlequin and agent Kevan Lyon. Needless to say, this is just the short-list.

Trying to figure out what to pack is just crazy, and the scheduling is next to impossible. But still, another week and a day and we’re on our way.

I’ll try and blog more often in the week to come, and from RWA itself if I can. Wish you were all coming with me!

Blessings,Deborah

Textnovel.com contest

I recently entered the textnovel.com contest with my paranormal romance/chicklit novel WITCH EVER WAY YOU CAN (winner of the EMILY "Best of the Best" contest earlier this year). If you are interested in seeing a sample of my fiction writing, I will be posting additions to the story every day, or close to it. I'd REALLY appreciate it if you would go take a peek and vote for my story. If you sign up to have the new installments sent to you, I get an extra point, too. Thanks!!!http://www.textnovel.com/stories_list_detail.php?story_id=997

Library Journal Review

Check out this fabulous review of my newest book, The Goddess is in the Details: Wisdom for the Everyday Witch. I'm told that the Library Journal rarely reviews Llewellyn books, and when it does, the reviews are rarely favorable. That makes this glowing review even more precious!

Blake, Deborah. The Goddess Is in the Details: Wisdom for the Everyday Witch. Llewellyn. May 2009. c.240p. bibliog. ISBN 978-0-7387-1486-8. pap. $16.95. PARAPSYCH
Blake (Circle, Coven & Grove: A Year of Magickal Practice) dons the mantle of the high priestess with grace, wisdom, and a dose of humility as she doles out advice on incorporating magic and pagan philosophy into everyday life. Brief but not superficial, the book glides smoothly from private concerns such as internalizing Wiccan beliefs or mindful eating to more external and social issues like creating sacred space, home keeping, and working with a coven. Along the way, Blake manages to cover most of daily life, from raising children in the craft to dealing with horrified unbelievers in a cheerful and inclusive tone. Lovely spells, ideas for rituals (with some unique adaptations to “mundane” holidays), and thoughtful assignments at the end of chapters round out the offerings. Blake’s view is highly personal, but she frequently references other Wiccan writers, such as Scott Cunningham, and concludes with a meaty bibliography. High praise and recommendations; this title is for all public libraries with a dedicated pagan or Wiccan collection.—Janet Tapper, Western States Chiropractic Coll. Lib., Portland, OR

Whoo hoo! If you know any librarians, please bring this to their attention.Thanks,Deborah

April news and the EMILY Best of the Best Award

Hi All,

Happy “theoretical” spring! Here in upstate New York, we are still doing the moody swing between sunny and 60 and raining/snowing/30 blech.

But I have news to brighten the darkest day, so I don’t care!

I was notified that I won the EMILY contest “Best of the Best” award. They take the winners of all the various categories (I won “Romantic Suspense,” although my novel is really a paranormal with romantic suspense) and pick, well, the best of the best. And that was ME! I’m still over the moon about it.
Better yet, my prize was that I got to send the 1st 3 chapters of WITCH EVER WAY YOU CAN to Leis Pederson, at Berkley. Let’s hope she likes it!

I am hard at work editing my second novel, KING ME! – a humorous paranormal romance about a modern witch who accidentally brings back King Arthur to save the world. Oops. Many thanks to my “First Readers”: Judith Levine, Caere Dunn, and my two writing partners, Robin Wright and Saoirse Redgrave. You guys rock! As soon as I get through the first round of edits, I’ll be sending the first 65 pages or so to fabbo author and professional editor, Mindy Klasky.

Speaking of my pal Saoirse, she got great news, too. (Way better than mine, really.) Her YA werewolf tale, 13 TO LIFE, which won the Textnovel.com contest, has been “snapped up” by a great publisher! More details later when everything is official, but in the meanwhile, big cheers for Saoirse!

I’m more than midway through writing my fourth book for Llewellyn, THE EVERYDAY WITCH A TO Z SPELLBOOK. Today I started working on the “Q” spells, so it’s moving along nicely. And of course, book 3, THE GODDESS IS IN THE DETAILS: WISDOM FOR THE EVERYDAY WITCH comes out in May!

Booksigning news next time J

Many bright blessings, and may spring bring you good news, too!
Deborah

Update on January Goals and new February Goals

I didn't manage to accomplish all my writing goals for January, although I made a fairly good dent in them. Here is my report for last month and the month to come:

Writing Goals

This Week (Feb 2-Feb 8):
1. Update blog
2. Enter “Chase the Dream” contest again
3. Write G-H on Everyday Witch A to Z Spellbook
4. Write 20 new pages in King Me!
5. Read and edit Writer’s Group pal Shannon’s book chap 9-12

Last Month (January 2009)
1. done Finish all edits on WEWYC (set aside other than agent/contest submissions)
2. did only thru F Complete thru “L” on Everyday Witch Spellbook
3. done Review and revise first 100+ pages of King Me!
4. did 3, decided to wait on more Send 10 queries for WEWYC (if necessary)
5. got verbal “yes” and waiting on contract Get contract for Everyday Witch Spellbook
6. done Update blog weekly
7. Write up outline for Witch Ever Way You Turn didn’t get to
8. Write additional 50 pages on first draft of King Me! Didn’t get to
9. Find 2 opportunities for freelance article writing did one of 2
This Month (February 2009)
1. Update blog weekly
2. Enter one contest
3. Complete G-M on Everyday Witch A to Z
4. Complete 50 additional pages on King Me!
5. Work with webmaster to update website

How are you doing with your goals?

Great news and this week's writing goals

This week was quite productive, and I managed to do all but one of the goals on my list. But I am TIRED and am devising a slightly more manageable list for next week.

THE GOOD NEWS IS: I got the call from my aquisitions editor at Llewellyn, and they will be contracting for my 4th book, The Everyday Witch A to Z Spellbook. Yahoo! That puts me in line to achieve my goal with the NF, which was 5 books in 5 years. (I decided that was what it would take to get me "known.") So big ol' happy dance here! Of course, now I have to finish writing it:-)

Did: updated my blog, entered two contests (small free ones), got info to my webmaster pal so we can update my website, wrote all of the "C" and some of the "D" entries for Everyday Witch A to Z Spellbook, reread and polished Witch Ever Way pages 100-190, sent out 3 queries for it (got 2 rejections almost immediately--sigh) and finished reading and scoring my entries for the Golden Heart and Great Expectations contests and sent them in.

Didn't do: I only managed to get through part of "D" for the A-Z, when I'd been aiming at finishing thru "F." Still, not a bad week, all in all.

Updated Writing Goals

This Week (Jan 19-25):
1. Update blog
2. Enter “Chase the Dream” contest again
3. Write up mini-proposal for Itty Bitty Kitty Spellbook
4. Write D-F on Everyday Witch A to Z Spellbook
5. Reread and polish WEWYC page 193-263 (end)
6. Send out 3 Queries for Witch Ever Way You Can
7. Send out Full of WEWYC to Lois Winston
8. Review and revise 1st 35 pages of King Me!

I hope everyone is doing well keeping up with their goals and new year's resolutions. I am working on a few personal goals too, but it is a little to early to share them. I'll let you know if things go well:-)